This application claims the priority of German application 100 19 368.4, filed Apr. 18, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a process and a system to provide, for example, electric sheets. Processes of this type for the production of electric sheets of small quantities are known, for example, as single notching processes. Here, a differentiation is made between two basic processes which are both known. On one hand, there is the single notching process with a circular feeding; on the other hand, there is the single notching process with a linear feeding. When the circular feeding method is used, it is a disadvantageous that no pallet handling is permitted. Furthermore, as far as the topic of supplying and delivering blanks and metal sheets is concerned, stacking mandrel and pallet handling are known. In this case, for example, blanks which have a finished outer contour and a finished or standard opening are used as the starting material. Also, the use of twin notching presses is known.
If single notching presses according to the known processes are used, however, it is a disadvantage that a large number of individual machining steps are required to reach the desired result. This process is therefore very time-consuming. The known use of single notching presses of the circular feeding variant is less time-consuming but has the initially mentioned disadvantages. The use of twin notching presses of the variant using a circular and linear feeding is also known. In this case, it is particularly disadvantageous that, as a result of the use of two notching presses, more space as well as more capital cost are used. Another disadvantage consists of the resulting longer retooling times. Although the use of automatic twin turnstile machines represents the fastest type of manufacturing if only the direct manufacturing of metal sheets is considered, the considerable disadvantage is the fact that stacking mandrels are required which have to be manufactured for every application as parts-dependent accessories by singe-piece production. This is very expensive and increases the set-up and take-down times.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a process and a system which avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and produce metal sheets with a higher flexibility, shorter set-up and take-down times and at lower costs.
According to the invention, this object has been achieved in that a process and a system for producing metal sheets, particularly electric sheets, are provided, in which at least one sheet cutting unit, particularly a blanking device, at least one linear transfer device, at least one sheet stacking device as well as at least one sheet feeding unit and at least one sheet removal unit carry out the following process steps. At least one sheet metal blank is stacked and centered and/or oriented. The at least one sheet metal blank is notched and/or at least one interior sheet metal part is separated and/or removed. The notched sheet metal blank or blades is or are deposited and/or the at least one interior sheet metal part is deposited.
Such a system and the process are very flexible in comparison to the prior art.